Countdown to Christmas

 

In Italian culture, as the blog DreamDiscoverItalia has told me, the countdown to Christmas begins today, December 8, with the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.  That's Mary, not Jesus, who's being celebrated today. To cut and paste from that blog,

"...here in Italy the Christmas season only really begins in earnest on December 8th with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

The Immacolata is a national holiday throughout Italy. Catholics are obliged to attend mass and many banks and businesses close in observance.

Meanwhile in Atri and other towns, the vigil of the Immacolata covers 2 days and includes roasted chestnuts, hot wine and other local specialities. A torchlit procession of the fauns, a mythical wood-nymph of the forest, leads into the main square to light up the bonfire. The streets are filled with theatre, folklore, music and dancing before Mass is said and fireworks light up the sky. Today the custom is continued in Fossacesia, Ortona and the foothills of Guardiagrele although there are concerns that it should remain a holy festival rather than become commercialised.

If you are lucky enough to find yourself in Italy on the 8th December, you’ll also notice that banks, post offices, public offices and some shops are closed throughout the day, although many stores stay open for holiday shopping.

And so the countdown to Christmas has begun. The Immacolata is coming to a close this evening, my tiny Christmas tree is up and decorated and the shopping has begun in earnest. If you celebrate Christmas, I hope you have started your Christmas preparations too! "

So I bought our fresh greens Christmas wreath yesterday, and we'll hang it up in our hall today, so that we have the sweet fragrance of pine and balsam. 

In the meantime, here's a lovely piece of art from Jen Norton: